Whole Artichoke Soup with Butter and Flour
Creamy soup made from whole artichokes simmered until tender, then combined with a butter-flour roux and the cooking liquid. The artichokes are trimmed of tough outer leaves and hairy centers, chopped fine, and cooked until soft. A smooth, thickened soup seasoned simply with salt.
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ lb whole artichoke, trimmed
- 2 tablespoon flour
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 6 cup water, room temperature
- salt, to taste(optional)
Instructions
- 1
Remove thick outer leaves from artichokes
- 2
Cut and discard dark green firm part from tips
- 3
Trim stiff parts from edges all around if present
- 4
Halve artichokes and remove hairy center sections
- 5
Chop into small pieces
- 6
Place artichokes in pot with 2 cups water and simmer until tender
- 7
In separate pot, heat butter
- 8
Add flour and sauté for 1-2 minutes
- 9
Add 4 cups water and stir; blend with hand blender until smooth if lumps form
- 10
Add cooked artichokes with their cooking water to roux, stir well
- 11
Cover and cook on low heat until thickened
- 12
Season with salt, stir well, and remove from heat
Tips
Remove hairy choke centers thoroughly to avoid fibrous texture in finished soup
Use hand blender to eliminate lumps in roux for smooth consistency
Good to Know
Refrigerate in airtight container up to 4 days; freeze up to 3 months
Prepare through artichoke cooking step, cool, and refrigerate; complete roux and combine when ready to serve
Ladle into bowls; serve hot
Common Mistakes
Do not skip removal of hairy choke to avoid stringy, fibrous texture
Stir roux constantly while adding water to avoid lumps
Cook on low heat after combining to allow proper thickening without scorching